1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for automatically pretreating a specimen prior to an analysis of components of the specimen in medicinal or chemical field and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Analysis of components of a specimen requires a pretreatment, and such pretreatment is carried out through the following procedural steps. First, a predetermined solvent is poured into a distribution vial in which a specimen is accommodated. The distribution vial is shaken for a predetermined time by a shaking apparatus. During the shaking time for the distribution vial, the component of the specimen is extracted into the solvent, and a specimen liquid is obtained. After shaking, the specimen liquid is separately poured into one or a plurality of test vials, and the pretreatment is completed. In some cases, the specimen liquid in the distribution vial may be subjected to a centrifuging treatment by a centrifugal separator.
When the pretreatment for an analysis is completed, the specimen liquid in the test vial is analyzed by analyzing apparatus such as gas chromatography or liquid chromatography.
The above described pretreatment of the specimen includes processes of: opening and closing of the cap or plug of a distribution vial or test vial, pouring a solvent into the distribution vial, loading and unloading of the distribution vial into and from a shaking apparatus or a centrifugal separator, and pouring the specimen liquid from a single distribution vial into a single or a plurality of test vials. Conventionally, all of these processes are carried out manually and thus, the pretreatment for the analysis requires a great labor. Further, one must pay the closest attention to handling of the distribution vial and the test vial in each of the processes and therefore, the performance of pretreatment operation of the specimen liquid is low.